Woman Killed in Fall from Roller Coaster

As reported by CNN, an initial investigation shows no sign of foul play in the death of a woman who fell from a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Texas on July 19. “At this point of the investigation, it does not appear there was any foul play or criminality associated with this tragic incident,” according to a statement released by the Arlington Police Department. Six Flags confirmed that a woman died Friday while riding the Texas Giant roller coaster, but did not provide further details. She was identified by family members as Rosy Esparza.

Park medical staff and area paramedics responded immediately to the scene.”Since the safety of our guests and employees is our number one priority, the ride has been closed pending further investigation,” the theme park said in a statement.

Gabe Flores said he was next in line at the amusement park. “Me and my girlfriend were at the gates and the next ones to get on the ride … the cars came in and there was a man and a woman in the front,” he said. “The man was saying, ‘let me out, let me out, my mom fell off.’ “The man and woman were distraught and speaking in raised tones, said Flores, who lives in Benton, Texas. “There’s a turn that’s pretty steep, and the person behind her empty seat said she fell out there — just flew out,” he said.

Carmen Brown saw the actual fall. “She goes up like this,” she said, raising her hand up in the air. “Then when it drops to come down, that’s when it released and she just tumbled.” Brown told the Dallas Morning News that the woman had expressed concern to a park employee that she was not properly secured in her seat. “He was basically nonchalant,” Brown said. “He was, like, ‘As long as you heard it click, you’re fine.’ Hers was the only one that went down once, and she didn’t feel safe. But they let her still get on the ride.”

Six Flags Over Texas spokeswoman Sharon Parker said the park is committed to determining exactly what happened.”It would be a disservice to the family to speculate regarding what transpired,” she said. “When we have new information to provide, we will do so.”

The Texas Giant was originally designed in 1990 as an all-wood roller coaster. It was redesigned with a steel track and reopened in 2011after a $10 million renovation. At its highest point, the roller coaster is 153 feet and has a drop of 147 feet, according to the theme park.

Elsewhere, seven people suffered minor injuries in a boat-ride accident at the Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, park officials said. The incident occurred Friday evening when a boat rolled backward on the Shoot the Rapids ride, park spokesman Bryan Edwards said. The seven people in the boat were evaluated and treated by Cedar Point emergency medical staff, Edwards said. One of the seven was taken to an area hospital for additional evaluation and was subsequently released.